You’ll probably have heard that those who have been lucky enough to go whale-watching and see whales in their natural habitat have said it is a truly magical experience. Now it’s time to stop listening to their anecdotes and make your own memories in our Canadian wildlife tour!
Ningaloo Reef (April to July)
They may not technically be a whale, but swimming with whale sharks is such a magical and life-changing experience that we just couldn’t leave it out of our blog! Between April and July, whale sharks visit Exmouth to feed on zooplankton that thrives in the warm water. These massive but harmless filter feeders can grow up to 18m long. They cruise the world’s oceans in search of concentrations of plankton to feed on, and the Ningaloo Reef is one of the only places on the planet they appear regularly in large numbers. Very little is known about the biology of these creatures, so research is ongoing. An opportunity not to miss!
Vancouver Island (April to October)
This is an ideal place for whale watching: an estimated 79 Orcas live in the waters around southern Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands, while the northeast coast is home to about 250 Orcas, as well as minke and humpback whales. Some 20,000 Pacific grey whales make their annual migration along Vancouver Island’s west coast – there’s even a whale festival to celebrate their journey. Whale watching season varies depending on species. In the Gulf Islands, sightings are most common between May and November when great numbers of salmon, a staple food, are spawning nearby. Between mid-March and mid-April, witness the migration of Pacific grey whales along Vancouver Island’s west coast as they travel from Mexico to the Bering Sea.
Boston (April to Nov)
Boston whale watching cruises give you the opportunity to see some of the ocean's most fascinating creatures up close, just a short distance from the city. You'll watch the whales splash in the water, see pods of dolphins playing nearby, and observe many species of sea birds and other marine life. You can usually see anything from 3 or 4 whales to 10 or more! It all depends on the day, but your knowledgeable guide will do their best to ensure you see some. Whale cruise boat captains know how to bring you up close without disturbing or accidentally injuring the whales, so you'll have usually have excellent views as the whales frolic in the water. As an added bonus, you'll get a fascinating tour past many of the Boston Harbor Islands as you cruise out to see the whales!
California (April to July)
Monterey Bay
There are two seasons for whale watching in Monterey Bay, home of a world-famous aquarium. Visit from mid-December through mid-April to see gray whales, dolphins and killer whales migrating, or visit from mid-April through mid-December to see humpback whales, blue whales, dolphins and killer whales. Visitors can see the whales closely from shore as they come to feed in the Monterey Submarine Canyon.
San Francisco
Visit San Francisco from January through April to see hundreds of gray whales migrating past Point Reyes in Marin County as they make their way from the Arctic to Baja. Humpback whales also might be seen moving in pods of seven or 10 from November through March. The rest of the year – summer and fall – visitors can visit the Farallon Islands, where humpbacks, blue whales, sperm whales and orcas feed.
Tick whale watching (or whale shark watching!) off your bucket list in one of these incredible locations! Call our experts on 0161 888 5632 for a free no obligation quote today.
